Zorro

Zorro is one of the most recognizable heroes in popular legend. Tales of his double-life, romancing, and swordsmanship in defense of the helpless have made him the stuff of great novels, films, and TV. But scholars have debated which figure from history, if any, inspired the character. Recently, 17th-century records from the Spanish Inquisition have revealed a candidate: Irishman William Lamport. Visiting Mexico on a spy mission for the King of Spain, Lamport ultimately started a revolution to liberate the local Indians from corrupt Spanish rulers.